Reunion
by phantomxofxmystery
Summary: During the Dark Tournament, Karasu finds himself reconnected with a mysterious, troubled fire demon from his past. How will their relationship progress? What is her connection to Ototo Toguro and Hiei? Read the story for a better understanding.
1. 1st Day

A/N Genius me forgot to add this when I first posted it, so here I go!

**Disclaimer: I in no way own any of the original material that Yoshihiro Togashi produced, and I am not making any money off of this fanfic! It's purely for you, the reader. **

Reunion

1st Day

When I entered the cramped, confining office, my eyes immediately flickered to Toguro, ; his aura ever present in my senses. I felt others too: two humans and two other demons—one was vaguely familiar. Behind the sunglasses, I knew that he was studying me… And they call me a murderer? "Karasu?" A soft, feminine voice called to me.

The aura that was somewhat familiar was moving now, straight for me. I glanced down, seeing the top of the girl's head. She had long dark hair with streaks the color of snow—traits I had seen in a girl I had met long ago. Her eyes met mine, and I instantly recognized the fiery garnet of the fire demon hybrid that stood in front of me. "Saiyuki?" I responded, astonished. "What are you doing here?"

Indeed, what was she doing here? As far as I knew, she didn't fight, so what was her role in this team during the tournament? The girl offered the gentle smile that I was so accustomed to. "I'm here to fight." 'And to find my brother,' she added as the comforting presence of her mind linked with mine.

Back at the hotel, Saiyuki settled herself in the room set aside for her. I waited in the living room and on the couch for her to come out. The door to the room adjacent to the one I sat in opened and the girl's head popped out from the doorway. Spotting me, she made her way in my direction. I patted the cushion next to me in invitation, and she sat down.

I was sprawled with my back against the arm of the couch, my legs crossed and both of my arms stretched out from my body—one was draped over the back of the couch while the other hung from the couch's edge. She remained silent as she sat, her legs neatly crossed and her fingers interlaced, clasped around her knee. "It's been a long time," I murmured, sitting up and leaning forward to study the face that I had nearly forgotten. She turned her head, her gaze meeting mine. She nodded, her well formed lips shaping the words, "I know."

Her skin was just as pale as I had remembered it, and her eyes were the same color but… Something was different. In a way, they seemed darker, more closed off. Saiyuki was just as beautiful as my memory recalled, but she was more mature and haunted as well. "What has this life done to you?" Her eyes remained trained on me. Something seemed to be hiding behind her eyes, something unsettling. She stayed silent, her eyes locked on mine.

"Do you really want to know?" her voice abruptly sliced through the silence. I focused on her, allowing my mind to link with hers. In her mind, I could see vague, half formed thoughts followed by images… Were they memories? I was in her body, fighting to suppress fear— her fear—as some human backed her into a wall. Another appeared to the right, grabbing her ashen wrists, holding them above her head. Her voice screamed, even though no one would hear. Saiyuki blocked these images and her aura forcibly broke the connection between us. I frowned, the expression unnoticeable, as she turned away. "I didn't want you to see that," she muttered, her eyes avoiding mine.

"Those men hurt you," I murmured solemnly. Saiyuki got up from the couch.

"I'm going to bed," she responded flatly. "Good night." I watched as she headed for her room and heard the lock turn as she sealed herself in.

That night, I woke up from an uneasy sleep to screaming. I sat up bolt right from the couch and dashed for the door to Saiyuki's room. "Saiyuki!" I yelled. I was about to pound on the door when I discovered that it had been forced open. "Calm down," Toguro's baritone whispered as I walked in.

"Are you all right?" I questioned. She gave a nod.

"It's nothing," her soft voice answered defensively.

"I see," I kept my eyes on her as I left, hoping that she would be just fine. 'Will you talk to me in the morning?' I asked, breaching her tired and worn mental defenses. 'Maybe,' she responded wearily.

'I hope you sleep well the rest of the night,' I told her as I closed the door and headed for the couch. 'Thank you,' she replied as I lay down. I closed my eyes and willed sleep to come, but I am not so fortunate. Even when Toguro finally left her room after over an hour, sleep still had not laid claim to my mind. I'm worried about my childhood friend…

During the year that she and I spent together, never had I seen her hide anything from me. I remember that we met when she was eight, I was fifteen, and she was searching for her twin Hiei. I had offered to travel with her—to be sure she would be safe; a lone girl traveling alone could easily fall prey to bandits or far worse. I stayed with her until she and I were separated. In the time I was with her, I learned of why she was searching for him—how she and her brother had been literally dropped from the floating island of the Ice Maidens, and left for dead. Later on, they had been abandoned by the very thieves who had taken them in.

Then, I began to debate which was worse: not knowing your parents, or having a mother who locked you away because of something you could not control, only to try to kill you for it later on. When I had told Saiyuki of this, she had said that what I had been through was far worse. She told me that yes, she was angry with having been cast out of her birthplace, and yes, she was upset that she couldn't have lived with her mother—who committed suicide much later—but to her, that seemed to pale in comparison to what I had been through.

From my position on my back, I rolled over onto my side, facing the back of the couch. The mask I wore was becoming unbearably uncomfortable, so I reached behind my head, feeling through the waterfall of my dark hair for the ties that bound the mask to my face, and untied them. I removed the mask and set it on the table beside my head so that I could sleep.

A/N: Review please? Feedback of any sort would be appreciated. Just no flames please. ^.^ For those of you who may not have caught it, Saiyuki's name was a reference to the series itself.


	2. 2nd Day

A/N: I know, I took forever to post this. I don't have a laptop of my own, and getting a hold of a computer at home or school that I can use to type on is a massive pain. :( Thank you, drawn by vomit for your kind review, I really appreciate it! ^.^

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own- please no lawsuits. ^.^**

2nd Day

When I awoke from my own nightmare laden sleep, it was already morning and the sun was shining through the three large windows behind the couch. I pushed myself upward from my position on my stomach and stretched the stiffness sleep from my limbs. I directed my attention to the door to Saiyuki's room as it creaked open, revealing my friend looking exhausted. Her hair was mussed slightly, and the weariness evident in the smile she gave me. "Good morning," her voice sounded husky and unused as she spoke. "You look tired," I commented as I positioned myself more comfortably on the couch. She gave a nod. "Yeah."

"Were you having nightmares?" I questioned as she shuffled past me to the bathroom. Her eyes caught mine and she nodded again. "Uh-huh," I offered a sympathetic smile and I realized that she could see the expression. I hurriedly reached for my mask, but hesitated when she spoke. "I miss seeing your face without the mask," she told me. "I prefer it that way." I chuckled lowly.

"I see," I murmured as she shut the bathroom door. I sat there, simply listening to my surroundings, and soon enough I could hear water running and slapping against a hard surface—she was most likely taking a shower. I could smell the soft scent of shampoo and soap, clean smells that somehow mixed well with her body chemistry. When she stepped out of the bathroom, steam rushed ahead of her. She was dressed for the day in simple clothes with a towel wrapped around her hair. "Come sit by me," I offered.

Saiyuki made her way over to me and sat down. She tipped her head forward, removed the towel, and shook her hair from her face. I observed with a slight smile as she ran her fingers through her wet, shiny hair to comb out the tangles and smooth it out. "What were you dreaming about last night?" I questioned. Her now awake ruby gaze met mine with a bitter smile. "Trust me, you don't want to know," she replied.

"Yes I do," I replied firmly. "You were obviously terrified, and I wanted to know why." That same bitter smile traced her lips. "Give me your hands," she instructed. I did as she asked, confused. Her hands felt small in mine, much warmer than my skin must have been. "Close your eyes," she asked. I did so, and I felt her mental defenses dissolve. "I'm going to show you what it was that caused the nightmares," she explained. "My sister and I had been held captive by a cruel and greedy human. He wanted our tear gems for their value, to increase his own wealth." Anger flared within me as I saw the image of a young Ice Maiden crying while Saiyuki wrapped her arms around her, soothing her as a grotesquely ugly human laughed coldly.

"He did **anything** he could to make us cry; he **enjoyed** it. He even encouraged his men to help." Her voice reflected obvious anger as she let me see the same memory I had caught yesterday. After the other man grabbed her wrists, the first one ran his hands along her body. I felt her hostility as she fought to break his grip. She managed to succeed but the human in front of her wrestled her to the ground and pinned her wrists away from her body, leaving her vulnerable. The second knelt down on her other side, his hand cupping her cheek in a parody of a loving caress.

"I imagine you can picture the rest," she murmured. I reached over, wiping away the tears that clung to her cheeks. She picked up the beautiful ebony and crimson gems that lay in her lap. "I was right," I commented more to myself as I studied her. "That wasn't the first time," she added. "It started when I was fourteen and stopped not that long ago. They tried going after my sister once and I fought them off." Fierce anger was in her expression now.

"I refused to let them lay their hands on her!" I nodded as she clenched her fists. "After I met Toguro, he took me in and offered to train me. I threw myself into my training; I didn't give myself the chance to work through it."

"That is completely understandable," I told her quietly. "You shouldn't have had to go through that, I'm sorry that you did." She nodded, dismissing my apology.

"I know," she replied. She offered a sad, weary smile. "Thank you for listening," she thanked me shyly. I gave a slight smile. "Of course," I responded. As soon as I finished speaking, the main door to her room opened, revealing Toguro. "Are you almost ready?" his baritone voice questioned.

"Almost," Saiyuki replied, springing up from the couch to her room. My eyes followed her with a smile.

"I take it you're an old friend of hers?" Toguro inquired as she disappeared behind the door. My eyes flickered to him and I nodded silently. "I see," he murmured almost thoughtfully. "Take care of her."

While we were waiting in the darkened room that led to the arena, I allowed myself to ponder his words. I wonder if he knew what I did. It is a possibility. On the way down to the stadium, she filled me in on how it was that she was acquainted with Toguro. From what I knew, after her sister had been rescued by her brother and his friends, Toguro had taken her in and began training her in preparation for the tournament.

The doors swung open, snapping me from my musings as the room was flooded with blinding sunlight and the deafening roar of the crowd. This was our cue to entr the arena. We took our places a t ringside, opposite of our opponents. Saiyuki stood to Toguro's right, while I positioned myself to her right, and following me was Bui. "All right, ladies and gentlemen!" The fox demon emcee—I believe her name was Koto—addressed the stadium. "It's time for the first round to begin! It's Team Toguro versus Team Ikatsu! Will the first two fighters come up?"

"I'll g first," Saiyuki finally spoke after a long period of silence. I observed as she hefted her weapon, a non-lethal looking staff. She took her place in the center of the arena, barely three feet from on of the men from the other team. I could see his eyes studying her, wondering just how much of a threat this tiny girl would prove to be. After babbling on about the obviousl differences between the two, and wondering how much the tournament's youngest female would fare, Koto finally got to the point. "Are both fighters ready? Begin!"

**********  
Back at the hotel room, I was sprawled on the couch while Saiyuki sat balanced in one of the window sills. I glanced over at her from the back of the couch; she was staring out into the deep forest of the island. "What's on your mind?" I questioned aloud. The young fighter's eyes met mine. "Are you worried that you didn't kill him?" She shook her head.

"I couldn't bring myself to do it," she replied softly. "Besides, why should I? There was no point in it anyway." I nodded, remembering how confident she appeared as she and her opponent fought. Somehow, even though combat didn't seem to suit he, she looked even more beautiful wielding that staff. As for me, when I fight, I use my powers to conjure bombs. My touch can kill in an instant. Her technique is far more refined, while mine is crude—I suppose this is the best way to describe it.

"You helped him out of the arena," I commented, coming out of my musings. Her gaze narrowed defensively. "I wanted to, and I felt I at least owed him that." Saiyuki responded. "I held no hostility toward him and I felt bad for causing those injuries."

"I see. What was that change in you I felt when you did?"

"I can heal," she replied.

"When did you acquire that ability?" I asked, astonished.

"My sister and I studied together. I still need a lot of work, but I'm becoming stronger each time I do." I smirked, the expression hidden by my mask. "You're full of surprises," I murmured. My eyes flickered to the nearly darkened sky. "Would you like to go for a walk?" she invited. She hopped down from the window sill and walked over to where I was. I got up from my lazy position on the couch to stand by her. "All right," I responded.

Out in the forest, we found ourselves on the banks of a strong-flowing stream. I observed as Saiyuki sat cross-legged, staring into the clear, rushing water. By the feel of her aura, I could tell that she was at peace. I silently sat beside her, enjoying her company. "Your mother must have been beautiful," she commented as she had so many times before. I offered only a silent nod as I visualized my mother's slender hand holding the knife, prepared to strike. I'm sorry," she had whispered. "You must make amends for what you've done… Now, go! Be with those whose lives you stole!" I remembered stumbling into the corner of my room, crying hysterically as my mother approached me, blocking my only escape. I closed my eyes tightly as my uncontrollable energy surged through me, reminding me of when I had unintentionally taken the lives of those children. "No!" I cried out as one bomb after another went offr, taking yet another precious life.

"I swear, I didn't mean it!" I screamed as I sank to my knees, cradling my mother's broken empty shell of a body. "Mother!"

"Karasu," I was snapped from my memories by Saiyuki's voice. I turned to meet her eyes, and I could see concern written in her features. "I didn't mean to bring back those memories," she told me softly. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right," I responded, my voice sounding dull. I inhaled deeply, trying to slow my rapidly racing heart. I felt her soft touch on my arm. "Are you okay?" A faint half smile traced my lips as I studied the clear, tranquil stream. "Yes, I'm fine." I answered her. When I glanced over in her direction, I could see that she was staring upward. My gaze followed hers, to meet the vast ocean of stars that swam overhead. "It's so beautiful," she breathed in awe. "I can't seem to get enough of this; every chance I get; I'm out staring at the stars."

"Being held captive so long, I don't blame you." My eyes sought hers and I could see a serene smile on her face. "What about you?" Saiyuki questioned, studying me. "I am also fond of nights like these." I replied. I lay back against the soft grass, and she lay beside me. While I was beside her, I could feel the peace of her mood strongly. Somehow, it reached its way into my senses and settled itself into my soul. Breathing deeply, a smile of contentment crossed my features. I sat up and untied my mask, removing it. I set it beside me in the grass and relished the feel f the cool nigh air softly kissing my heated face.

How was it possible for one girl to affect me so much?

While I was laying in the darkened hotel room on my back, I stared up at the ceiling. The pale light of the full moon washed over me—I could still feel that calm that had taken root in me earlier. In the next room, Saiyuki was asleep. Feeling drowsy, I closed my eyes, drifting off with the final thought, 'I hope she sleeps well…'


	3. 3rd Day

**A/N:** I know it's been awhile, but it's about time I got this posted. ^.^ Once again, reviews are greatly appreciated. So is constructive criticism. No flames please. ^.^

And now for the disclaimer...

Does not own Yu Yu Hakusho, the characters, or anything created by Yoshihiro Togashi. Saiyuki is mine. Please do not sue. ^.^ Thanks!

**Day 3**

I rose late that morning, because of our day off. Saiyuki of course, was already up and training with Toguro. Picking out her aura from everyone else's, I found the both of them sparring beside the stream she and I were laying beside the night before. In the safe haven of the shaded trees, I observed them. My young fire demon hybrid friend was on the defensive, until she spotted an opening and aimed a punch for his unprotected center. The force of her strike pushed her mentor backward, causing him to grunt in pain. "Good," he praised. "You're becoming much better!" Saiyuki gave a bright smile. "We'll break for now; meet me back here at noon." I observed as she bowed to him and he left. 'I know you're there, her voice filled my mind as her mind linked with mine. I jumped down from the tree I was laying in, landing near the edge of the clearing. "I'm impressed," I complimented while studying her. "You're much stronger than I thought. I was surprised when I learned that you could fight."

"Why's that?" Saiyuki's wine colored eyes met mine. I kept my gaze on her as I chose my next few words. "You seem too gentle of a person for that," I replied. "I can see you being a healer, but I could never picture you as a fighter." No, I definitely could **not** picture her fighting, at least not until I saw her yesterday. It had always seemed as though she needed protecting, but seeing her out in the arena, wielding that staff with such precision reminded me that she is not the child she once was, nor is she defenseless. I could see a slight smile on her face. "I  
see," she commented thoughtfully.

Several hours later, the sun was beginning to set and Saiyuki and I were out on the cliffs overlooking the turbulent ocean waves crashing against the edge of the island. The moon itself smiled down upon us from the starry heavens, illuminating the darkening sky. "You seem to have been better rested than yesterday," I began, casting my attention in her direction.

"Yeah, I am."

"Are you still having nightmares?" I questioned as she sat down in the soft grass. I sat beside her, studying her. Her pretty eyes flickered to me as she responded, "Not as many," I offered a smile.

"That's good," I murmured with a sigh of relief. She moved closer to me and I felt the weight of her head rest itself on my shoulder. I glanced down as she wrapped an arm around mine. Given what I had experienced from her memories, I was shocked momentarily. Wouldn't the thought of touching another man in this manner terrify her? She gave a contented sigh as I rested my cheek against her soft hair. 'I want to protect this girl,' I thought as I closed my eyes to enjoy her presence and her willingness to be in such close contact. 'I want to take away her pain.' I began to realize that I was developing the same feelings for her as I had for someone that I had lost long ago. That day, I vowed to protect her—protect Yuna—and I wasn't strong enough.

Death ferried her spirit to the afterlife that day, leaving my world shattered. I will **never** let that happen again; I will be strong enough to keep Saiyuki safe.

**A/N:** I tend to use a line of astrisks to mark a transition to a later time or a different setting. It's saving in my original document but it isn't working when I try to save it here. Any suggestions?


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